SWELL MAPS “C21” PROJECT

In December 2021, I organised a performance with ten musicians to perform Swell Maps music for two concerts on consecutive nights at Cafe Oto, a fine venue in Hackney, internationally renowned for it’s live presentations of alternative music.  As well as performing a selection of the better-known Maps material, it gave me an opportunity to present material that had never been performed live before, such as “Bronze & Baby Shoes”, “Ghost Train”, “Jelly Babies”, “Wireless”, “Don’t Throw Ashtrays”, and “Collision With a Frogman”.  

It was a brilliant opportunity to feature some of Epic’s piano-based pieces, because we had Lucie Rejchrtova, a fine keyboard player, and Oto’s grand piano!  The other contributors:  Dave Callahan and Luke Haines (both guitar & vocals), Cos Chapman (lead guitar), Jeff Bloom and Ian Wadley (drums), Jasmine Pender (electric cello), Lee McFadden (bass & guitar), Jon Hodgson (bass), Gina Birch (vocals).  Both sets at Cafe Oto were recorded, and I mixed the performances for an exciting live album, which is now available on the Glass Modern record label. 

I got back together with Dave, Lee, Jeff, Lucie, Luke, and Gina, at Rough Trade East in March 2022, to perform at the launch party for my book on Swell Maps. The band are continuing to operate as a collective in concert, the usual line-up consisting of:  Dave, Lee, Jeff, Lucie, Chloe Herrington and myself.  This line-up recorded a new Swell Maps album called “C21”, with Luke as a guest on a few tracks.  This album is scheduled for release by Tiny Global Productions in Spring 2026.

Jowe Head

03-12-2021 Cafe Oto, Dalston, London

04-12-2021 Cafe Oto, Dalston, London 

24-03-2022 Rough Trade East, Shoreditch, London

03-09-2022 Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow

04-09-2022 Bannermans, Edinburgh

31-03-2023 Sonic Protest, Theatre L’Echangeur, Bagnolet, Paris

29-04-2023 Cafe Oto, Dalston, London

15-03-2024 Moth Club, Hackney, London

30-08-2024 Palais Popkultur Festival, Kulturbrauerei Palais, Berlin

14-09-2024 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

10-10-2024 No 90 Hackney Wick, Hackney, London

01-11-2024 The White Hotel, Salford

02-11-2024 JT Soar Fest, Old Cold Store, Nottingham

14-12-2024 Merton Arts Space, Wimbledon Library, Wimbledon, London

16-05-2025 The Hare & Hounds, King’s Heath, Birmingham

31-05-2025 The Piper, St. Leonard’s On Sea, Hastings

08-08-2025 Rebellion Festival, Opera House, Winter Gardens, Blackpool

24-10-2025 The Lexington, Angel, London

05-12-2025 Hydrophone, Lorient (supporting Chameleons)

06-12-2025 Elysee Montmartre, Paris (supporting Chameleons)

 

c21

Swell Maps, C21

Cafe Oto, 3rd & 4th Dec 2021 / Images by Peter Tainsh

Cafe Oto, 3rd Dec 2021,’READ ABOUT SEYMOUR’

Cafe Oto, 3rd Dec 2021,’CAKE SHOP GIRL’